Ancient Roman FAQs
Cassia Underwood
Writing
Family
The father also had a lot of power over the children, it was the he who decided whether or not to raise the child. If the family could not afford to support the child, it was rejected. The child was also not acknowledged by the father until nine days after it was born. This was because many babies died before they lived to be nine days.
The most important part of the Roman naming system, was the family name. Men had three names. First came the praenomen, then the nomen, and lastly, the cognomen. The most popular praenomens were Gaius, Lucius, Marcus, Publius, and Quintus. This name was usually abbreviated. The Cognomen usually identified you as the member of a certain family. This name was inherited and derived from family characteristics. Characteristics such as physical traits, occupation, or place of origin. Women did not have a praenomen. Also, women did not change their name when they got married. Non-citizens and slaves had one name. When slaves were freed they took the nomen and praenomen of their liberator. Their original name became their cognomen.
Men's and Boys' Clothing
Women's and Girls' Clothing
Citations
"Writing and Language." World Eras. Ed. John T. Kirby. Vol. 3: Roman Republic and Empire, 264 B.C.E.- 476 C.E. Detroit: Gale, 2001. 170-172. World History in Context. Web. 6 Oct. 2015.
"Family." The Greenhaven Encyclopedia of Ancient Rome. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2002. 153-155. World History in Context. Web. 6 Oct. 2015.
"Children." World Eras. Ed. John T. Kirby. Vol. 3: Roman Republic and Empire, 264 B.C.E.- 476 C.E. Detroit: Gale, 2001. 304-305. World History in Context. Web. 6 Oct. 2015.
"The Dress of Roman Women." Arts and Humanities Through the Eras. Ed. Edward I. Bleiberg, et al. Vol. 2: Ancient Greece and Rome 1200 B.C.E.-476 C.E. Detroit: Gale, 2005. 106-109. World History in Context. Web. 7 Oct. 2015.
Tortora, Phyllis. "Toga." Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion. Ed. Valerie Steele. Vol. 3. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2005. 329-331. World History in Context. Web. 7 Oct. 2015.
McManus, Barbara F. "Roman Clothing, Part I." Roman Clothing, Part I. VROMA, Aug. 2003. Web. 14 Sept. 2015.